Aerials Up

I’ve spent the evening creating and listening to a chronological playlist of the 34 Scottish artists we’ve already featured. With a bit of luck you’ll slot in at #35. Not to be too overly dramatic – how is it possible for one relatively small country to produce this much exceptional musical talent?

“It’s true, Scotland seems to be doing something right in the music department. It’s something everyone at home is pretty proud of, there’s a real good community sort of vibe between bands so I guess that helps.”

Have you determined how many songs you’ll include on the debut record? I take it “I Am” will be on it? When can we expect a release date?

“I think there will be around 10 or 11 tracks on it. That’s not set in stone yet, but looking at the list of songs we have to make a record from I think there’s 10/11 that fit nicely together. That list is mostly made up of new songs but there are a few that we’ve been playing for a while, like I Am and our next single “The Old and the Innocent“.

There’s no release date confirmed yet, but we’re aiming for October time. Keep ’em peeled.”

Having grown up a couple hours south of Toronto, I can visualize your upcoming trip well. Will this be the first time there? How did you get invited to  Canadian Music Week?

“Yeah, it’s our first trip across the Atlantic as a band actually. Cat has been here a couple of times before, but I think this is mostly our first visits to Canada. Toronto is such a cool place, I love it here! We applied to come and play around October/November last year and got an invitation early this year. Excited to say the least.”

Are there any other Scottish acts you’d like to recommend?

“Yeah! In keeping true to your last statement there are a whole bunch of great Scottish bands over for CMW this year, mostly friends of ours from home actually. We went to see our friends Twin Atlantic at the Phoenix last night, they ripped the place apart. Three Blind Wolves are here too as well as French Wives. I’d recommend them all very highly.”

What’s the last show (not your own of course) that the Aerial team attended together?

“Apart from going to see Twin Atlantic last night, the last show that all of Team AU attended was Evil Edison at King Tuts in Glasgow. Our sound man Paul fronts Evil Edison and this was there first show, we seen a whole new side of our Paulie, they were awesome!”

We ask variations of this question a lot – perhaps too much so – so let me turn it towards Glasgow venues specifically. What are your favourites?

“Us Glaswegians are spoiled for good venues! King Tuts Wah Wah Hut tops the bill though, over it’s 20 year history its had all the big names, from Radiohead to Muse, grace it’s stage. I’m actually sitting with the venues first ever booker right now and he informs me it’s like Scotland’s answer to The Horseshoe Tavern over here.”

I once saw Carina Round mop the floor with Snow Patrol in a support slot. Would that pretty much sum up your own experience? I see that you have played Royal Albert Hall as well. I saw Richard Thompson there the one time I was in London. What was that like?

“Nice, it’s always a great feeling when a support act blow you away like that. I hope we’ve been able to make such an impression on fans of SP like that too.

It was pretty incredible yeah. It’s a special place, there’s a real aura about it. I remember seeing tiny little silhouettes watching our set from waaay up in the gods and being a bit taken aback. The seats go right around the back of the stage too so there’s no hiding, 360 degree audience!”

Continually seeing the FATCAT roster is all well and good but we need more. What are your long term plans to get yourselves here?

“You gotta hand it to them, FatCat have such a great roster of Scottish acts! The plan when we return home is to record the album and promote it like crazy. It’d be nice to get some backing to help promote it too, so fingers crossed someone will come on board to help with that – and fly us across to San Fran.”

I just remembered that the French Wives are in Toronto on March 24th also.  That would have been a great bill: Aerials Up/French Wives.

“Funny you should mention it, we’re playing a show with the French Wives while we’re both in Toronto, at the Smiling Buddha on Sunday 25th!”

Lastly, would you be so kind and ask us a question?

“Would you rather have the power of invisibility or be able to fly?”

Fly (to Toronto) obviously. SF is dissappointely too far from SXSW and CMW.

T&P